


The Harder the Rain, The Sweeter the Sun

by Ashtree11



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Pacific Rim AU, cuz why not, male byleth is called beleth, rated mature just in case cuz of swearing and violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22588228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashtree11/pseuds/Ashtree11
Summary: It's the apocolypse, complete with rampaging monsters rising out of the Earth's oceans. Humanity has rallied together to create the Garreg Mach Jaeger Program, their one defense against the Kaiju with the Ashen Twins, Byleth and Beleth Eisner, as their most effective team on the field. But after a near fatal fight with a Kaiju, Byleth quits the program. It's not until five year later with the escalation of Kaiju attacks that she is asked to return to help train new recruits. It is there that she meets a rambunctious group of eager trainees, and a white-haired woman with an unwavering conviction to fight
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 36
Kudos: 204





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ayy new AU feels good guys  
> So no Edeleth in this chapter, I'm kinda following the movie in having a semi prologue to ease the characters into the universe and get a feel for how I can write it before I get into the good gay content. I also made the Byleth twin headcanon a thing here cuz hey if I can have Momleth in Triple Lutz I can have this too.  
> Comments/Critiques and Kudos help immensely and I appreciate every single one :3

It was supposed to be an easy fight. They could’ve done it with their eyes closed if they wanted. But it all went so wrong.

The alarms went off in the middle of the night and Byleth was sound asleep, lying on her stomach and snoring soundly through the noise. It wasn’t until Beleth, her twin brother and Jaeger co-pilot, shook her awake. And by ‘shook her awake’ he shoved her off the bed. It pulled an irritated groan from her as she sluggishly pushed herself up from the floor.

“Really?” she groused.

Beleth merely shrugged. His mischievous grin betrayed any semblance of nonchalance. As expected, he was already dressed in his pilot jumpsuit. “Not my fault you sleep like a rock in the middle of an emergency.”

“Not my fault that you don’t sleep at all,” she shot back. “Do we have to go?”

“It’ll be easy. You’ll be back in bed before you know it.”

She groaned once more in response but set off into her closet to change into her own jumpsuit.

The Ashen Twins made their way down the corridor of the Garreg Mach Jaeger Base towards the prep chamber, their strides in perfect unison. 

Crew members met them there to help don the rest of the pilot suit. The familiar sound of drills bolting the plates into place, and the spinal component being fastened to their backs filled the space. Once they were finished, the crew saluted them, wishing the twin pilots good luck.

(How arbitrary their words end up being in hindsight....)

They rode the elevator up into the head of their beloved Jaeger, Ashen Demon, with their matching helmets at their hips and ready for combat. Two more crew members followed them inside to strap them into the controls. Their boots clunked into place on the foot platforms, arm braces clipped over their wrists, and their spinal components drilled into the main control mechanism.

“Hope you didn't have any wild dreams before this,” Beleth remarked as he fastened his helmet.

Byleth scoffed and did the same. “If I did, you’re gonna have to tell me all about it because I don’t remember anything after being so rudely interrupted.”

“Focus up, you two,” commanded a voice from the intercom.

“Yes, Dad,” the twins teased without hesitation.

Captain Jeralt Eisner sighed, but they both knew he was smiling in spite of himself. “We have a category three Kaiju coming up on the horizon. Easy in ‘n out mission, but don’t lose focus out there.”

“Yes, sir,” they both said, falling into professionalism. “Ashen Demon ready for drop.”

“Affirmative,” said the operator. “Drop sequence is a go.”

The Jaeger head fell, jostling the two pilots for a moment before it slowed to a stop and connected to the rest of its massive body. The screen in front of them flickered on, displaying a view of the outside as the main doors slid open.

“Ashen Demon online,” the robotic interface sounded.

It was raining. The ocean waves churned violently against the dark storm, the rain fell in sheets that would make it hard to see in any other context. But not for specially trained pilots.

The Ashen Twins had an undisputed reputation, ranking number one in the program for dispelling Kaiju threats as easily as breathing, and their bond in the Drift was incomparable to boot. Being siblings helped in that regard.

“Commencing neural handshake in t-minus fifteen seconds,” the operator announced.

“Good luck, kiddos,” Jeralt chimed in.

As the countdown began, Byleth closed her eyes, and took slow measured breaths. She didn’t need to look to her right to know that her brother was doing the same. The operator finished and the neural handshake overtook her senses. Memories of their childhood home in Remire with their father, playing together, getting into trouble, their school years, and more came to the forefront. All the pain and happiness they’ve ever felt in their close knit lives became one. Neither of them had to worry about chasing rabbits. Their handshake was as flawless and strong as ever. The operator over the comms relayed as much.

“Left hemisphere calibrating,” Byleth recited as she raised her arms, flexing her fingers.

“Right hemisphere calibrating,” Beleth returned.

The green light on their status screen flashed, concluding the synchronizations and the twins slammed their shared right fist into their left palm.

“Never gets old,” Beleth remarked.

“Nope,” she agreed and tapped the screen to pull up the radar. The red blip that was slowly making its way to the city glared from the north. They have their heading.

“Ashen Demon moving out,” she reported.

Together, the two of them piloted the Jaeger through the crashing waves. The foot platforms beneath them provided a leg workout with its sluggish motions.

“Skipping leg day on me, Bel?” Byleth playfully jabbed.

“I could say the same for you,” he grunted.

(Burying her face in her hands, Byleth gritted her teeth to fight the memory following their launch, to ignore the steady beep of the heart monitor sounding beside her. It’s all in vain, of course.)

They were fighting the Kaiju, working in perfect sync to tear the monster limb from limb. But somehow it got a hit in, effectively stunning them long enough for it to tear off Ashen Demon’s right arm. 

A Kaiju has never done that before.

Beleth roared as if his own arm had been ripped away, and in turn Byleth mirrored him, feeling the blinding pain just as viscerally as he was. Red lights flashed around them, the cockpit filling with shouts of alarm from the comms, but those were drowned out in the midst of the twins shared string of curses that rang out in their synchronized thoughts.

As the mighty Jaeger’s arm fell into the ocean’s depths, the Kaiju raked its claw through the Ashen’s head, exposing the pilots inside. Rain flooded into the cockpit as the twins blinked blearily up at the tear in their beloved Jaeger. The Kaiju screeched and jammed its hand through the hole in a cacophony of sparks and disturbed wiring.

The next thing Byleth saw was Beleth being violently torn from the control mechanism. In the split second before their connection severed, the longest one she’s ever experienced in her life, Byleth felt white-hot pain searing through her body, scoring itself into her very soul as Beleth screamed.

 _Byleth!_ she had heard him shout in his head.

Then the connection was gone—gone as he was tossed into the ocean.

She was left with her suspended thoughts, the residual throbbing agony coursing through her, and a yawning emptiness that Beleth had once occupied. The comms continued to shout overhead, now distorted from the damage Ashen Demon sustained. She couldn’t hear them. She didn’t want to. Her instincts told her to _go_ and jump in after him— _go_ save him god damn it! But she couldn’t. Not when she was bolted in place. 

Her heartbeat, once pumping with adrenaline from the fight and imminent danger, dulled in her chest. All she could do was stare out forlornly at the dark storm.

Hot tears ran down her cheeks.

And her heart jump-started once more.

“BEL!” she roared in furocious agony and took control of Ashen Demon and swung her remaining arm straight into the Kaiju’s mouth. She managed to dislodge a tooth from it, but she didn’t care, didn’t relish in it. She swung her fist down again into its wide eye socket, swung again into its nose, again to its mouth. All the while, her guttural cries tore through the sound of the storm. She hardly would’ve recognized that it came from her if not for her throat becoming raw from the strain.

She clutched the Kaiju’s neck and squeezed with whatever strength she had left, ignoring the thundering headache that brought darkness into her vision.

Jaegers aren’t meant to be piloted alone, it was too dangerous for a single brain to do so. Two pilots for each side of a brain’s hemisphere, that’s how it was supposed to be. Protocol stated that should the Jaeger or any of its pilots be at fatal risk, then the escape switch is to be pulled for the pilot to be deployed in safety pods. But Byleth told Protocol to go fuck itself and tore the Kaiju’s throat clean out. It fell with a garbled cry, down into the ocean from whence it came.

Revenge was swift. Yet she still felt hollow. Sparks continued to rain over her, mixing with the actual rain from outside. The pounding in her head intensified, the corners of her vision ever darkening with each passing, haggard breath she took. She felt something warm and wet coat her upper lip. She ran her tongue over it. Tasting familiar salt and rust, she brought a hand up. Her fingertips came away with blood. Her nose was bleeding...

“Byleth! Are you there, kid? Talk to me!” she could barely make out her father’s desperate calls.

Energy drained out of her all at once.

“We’re coming to get you, By. Just hang in there, okay? Just hang in there.”

She was so tired. She wanted the headache to stop. “I’m sorry, Dad,” she croaked before letting the darkness win out.

And for the first time in its career, the Ashen Demon fell.

When she woke up, it was in Garreg Mach’s infirmary. Her entire right side of her torso was wrapped in bandages, the same side Ashen Demon was damaged the most. Glancing about the room, she spotted Jeralt in the chair on her left. And beside him on a different cot was...

“Bel?” she wanted to call out, though all that she could manage was a strangled groan.

Jeralt snapped awake at the sound of her voice. “Byleth,” he breathed. He ran his calloused hand over her forehead, brushing back her choppy bangs out of her face.

She swallowed thickly and tried speaking again, “Wh—what happened?”

“You’re safe. You’re safe now. You both are.” He kept repeating the phrases, more to himself than anything, as if he couldn’t believe it

She glanced over at her twin. He wasn’t awake. He was so still that the only indication that he was alive was the heart monitor. How did he survive? How did _she_ survive?

Too tired to think about the whirlwind of questions, she held her father’s hand in her trembling fingers and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. 

She pulled herself out of the train of memories and she was back in the infirmary sitting at the side of Beleth’s cot.

According to Jeralt, she had been asleep for a week. Beleth was projected to wake up in another few days or even a week. His injuries far outnumbered her own. While Byleth walked away with chronic headaches and burn scars on her right side where Ashen Demon had lost its arm; severe nerve damage, muscle tears, and countless broken bones filled Beleth’s medical chart. He won’t be able to walk again, at least not without lots of time and physical therapy. Perhaps even prostheses should he choose them.

But he needed to wake up first.

Byleth spent most of her time in between check-ups sitting at his bedside with her leg bouncing anxiously and her mind racing with memories of that night. Whenever she could feel her breaths beginning to quicken and shorten to the echoing shriek of the Kaiju, she would hold onto his casted hand and ground herself in the present. She would hold his hand and try to remember other things, like their house in Remire, the days they spent fishing in the nearby lake—just trying to remember anything before their life in the Jaeger program.

She didn’t realize she was crying until she felt a thumb swipe over her cheek.

“Hey, kiddo,” Jeralt greeted softly, a stark contrast to his large and imposing figure. “Seteth’s been asking for you again. I can tell him off if you want.”

It was a tempting offer, one that she has accepted several times in the past couple weeks. She knew what it was Seteth wanted to ask. He and Rhea would extend apologies for the incident, offer compensation and any support they can provide, then transition into inquiring about her participation in the program. Beleth was out of the question whether he would continue on. Losing one of the Ashen Twins was detrimental already, but to lose both of them would be crippling.

And right now, Byleth couldn’t give less than damn about any of that.

She stood up from her chair, her expression set in impassive neutrality. “I’ll talk to him.”

Jeralt looked ready to stop her, ready to insist that she can stay with Beleth as long as she needs. But the hard set of her jaw and the coldness in her eyes told him that she won’t back down. So he let her go, taking her place beside his sleeping son.

Byleth strode toward the command center, knowing that that’s where Commander Seteth and General Rhea would be. And sure enough they were standing side by side before the main computer.

At the sound of the door closing, the two leaders turned, surprised to see that Byleth had indeed answered their call.

She saluted, but said nothing.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Byleth. How are you faring?” Rhea asked in her usual gentle tone.

“I’m fine.”

Rhea nodded, either unaware of or ignoring her curt answer. “And your brother?”

Byleth’s hands behind her back curled into fists. “Asleep.”

“I see... I pray that he recovers quickly. We’ve all been saddened by your incident with the Kaiju. It’s a miracle we were able to recover the two of you in time.”

“Which brings us to our main topic,” Seteth interjected, fixing Rhea with a look. “We understand the bleakness of the situation: an entire Jaeger and its pilots out of commission leaves us at a disadvantage for any impending attacks. We won’t ask you to pilot a Jaeger so soon, but there’s no disputing what you accomplished. Piloting a Jaeger solo for as long as you did is no small feat. It would be a great help if you would remain here and lend your piloting experiences to other operations around Garreg Mach, namely research in developing Jaeger technology.”

The two gazed at Byleth expectantly.

Her face betrayed nothing, completely hiding the echo of her shared cries of agony alongside Beleth’s and the blind rage she felt when she took down the Kaiju on her own. The same rage simmered beneath her skin, festering at the image of her brother still lying motionless while these two discuss tactics in the midst of the twins’ recovery. They were just tools to them.

“I will not,” she said.

“What?” Seteth demanded while something akin to disbelief flickered over Rhea’s normally serene face.

“Consider this my resignation. It’s been an honor fighting in the Jaeger program. On behalf of my brother, we thank you for the opportunity you’ve given us. Excuse me.” _In conclusion, go fuck yourselves_ , she added in her mind. She gave one last salute and stalked out of the room without a single glance backwards when Seteth and Rhea tried to call her back.

She almost lost her brother. Even if she were to pilot a Jaeger again, it won’t be the same without him. On cue, her right side started to throb. She winced, holding her shoulder where the joint ached from the phantom pain of Ashen Demon being ripped apart. No, she was done with the program. Returning to the infirmary, she relayed to her father of her decision, to which he understood wholeheartedly. The three of them would leave Garreg Mach as soon as Beleth woke and was strong enough for a trip back to Remire. From there, only time will reveal what the future holds.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aayy here we are in chapter 2. I hope the start of it isn't too exposition dumpy cuz I took some liberties as to what the twins have been doing post resignation compared to what Raleigh does in the movie.  
> Kudos are greatly appreciated, comments are treasured, and I'm always looking to improve my writing so critiques are welcome.

Life in Remire took some getting used to. Everything from the mellower routine, to suddenly having free time was an adjustment from life at Garreg Mach. Byleth spent time fishing with her father just like when she was younger and coming home with fresh catch for dinner. Though at first it was harder to keep her pole steady with the tremor that had wracked her hands. Beleth accompanied them whenever he had time in between physical therapy appointments. Getting to the lake in a wheelchair proved challenging, but if the Eisners were anything they were definitely persistent. And that’s how the lake found itself with a fresh stone pathway leading up to its shores.

The first three years of physical therapy yielded tremendous results for Beleth to say the least.

With the way that modern medicine was with nanotech, those three long years healed the nerve damage done to him. Coupled with working his leg muscles bit by bit, it finally led to the moment when he could walk his way in a straight line, using balance bars for support, into the waiting arms of either Jeralt or Byleth herself. 

Though the Ashen Twins hadn't drifted in ages, they were aware of each other’s joy and relief as they embraced.

While walking still took a lot of effort, Byleth would see him taking some steps around the house just to practice and build his strength before returning to his wheelchair. Progress was progress.

Meanwhile, Byleth’s own physical injuries were healed completely, save for the scarring on her right side. But there were still the psychological and neural wounds she had sustained that night. Piloting Ashen Demon solo for as long as she did resulted in frequent migraines, especially in the first six months since her resignation. Her cognitive functions were normal, however there were spurts of muscle spasms in her arms and legs and trembling in her hands. But, as with everything over time, the migraines lessened, the spasms only happened rarely, and she worked to retrain her hands to be steady again.

Before they knew it, five years had passed since they left Garreg Mach. Nanotech finally enabled Beleth to walk again, though he still kept his wheelchair just in case, and Byleth could hold a fishing pole without a single tremor.

A good thing about moving to Remire was the luxury of living in obscurity. No one would see Byleth or Beleth or even Jeralt traversing the rural town and see former Jaeger pilots. For five whole years, all they saw was a small family just getting by in their house in the outskirts, selling their fresh catches from the lake or taking on jobs from the local farmers.

It had been a quiet and simple life, one they had sorely needed, but not one that was meant to last, not with the ever looming threat of the Kaijus.

“Do you ever regret leaving,” Beleth asked one night as Byleth came home from work. Her face and clothes were streaked with mud and grime from weeding all day. Needless to say she was eager to shower, but the deep frown marring her brother’s features gave her pause.

“Leaving Garreg Mach?” she surmised.

He jerked his chin to the TV in the corner of the living room. “Another Jaeger got put out of commission today. Category 4 Kaiju. The damages looked like a two month repair at least. I think I lost track of how many they have left to fight with.”

Byleth sighed through her nose, setting down her coat and gloves on the table before going over to sit in the chair beside her brother’s. “You really shouldn’t be watching the news, Bel. It’s nothing but negative shit anyways.”

“I can’t help it,” he defended. “It still feels wrong being on this side of the Kaiju attacks. All we do is wait and watch for them to happen.”

She couldn’t argue with that. She’d be loathe to admit that she watched the news as well to see how the Jaeger program was faring without them. It was one of the reasons why she liked working on farms or being at the lake all day long: there was no temptation to look at another TV screen and feeling helpless as another city was rampaged.

On cue, her right shoulder throbbed with its phantom pain. Though it had healed long ago, her body still remembered that night. Nightmares were commonplace in the Eisner household with the twins reliving the moment their Jaeger was being torn open, and Jeralt waking up in cold sweat to check that his kids were indeed still in their beds and not lost in the ocean’s depths, or the Kaiju’s jaws. All the while, the quiet town of Remire slept on, unaware of the family’s silent pain.

“Do you regret leaving?” Beleth asked again. He, too, was holding his right shoulder. He bore matching burn scars as her, another point of bonding for them yet it was one they rarely spoke about.

“No, I don’t,” Byleth said. “Besides, even if I stayed, it wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

Beleth smiled wryly. “Yeah, you would’ve been such an asshole to your new partner.”

“Oh shut up I was trying to be sweet, you little shit,” Byleth punched his arm. While she was grateful for the short lighthearted respite, it turned somber once more. “Are you mad at me for making you leave?”

He shrugged. “It’s not like I would’ve been able to do anything at the time anyway. I don’t know, I just wonder if I can still make a difference as I am now, you know? We did a lot of good as pilots. What else is there for us? For me?”

She frowned, digesting his words. “I wish I had an answer... Dad is pretty happy that we’re retired though.”

“Yeah, no shit...” he sighed.

Even though the conversation ended there and she went off to shower, she couldn’t stop thinking. The water falling from the showerhead became heavy rain for a split second before she shook her head of the image with her eyes squeezed shut.

 _I wonder if I can make a difference as I am now_.

She laughed at herself, pressing her forehead to the cold tile wall and wondering how _she_ could make a difference when she can’t even get through a shower without having flashbacks?

***

A loud knock came at the door early one morning, startling Byleth from her usual Garreg Mach dream. Still in the clutches of the dream, she expected sirens and flashing lights to fill her senses, but was met with the soft morning light filtering into her bedroom from her curtained window and the mourning doves in the nearby trees.

She took slow, measured breaths to calm down. The knocks came again and she heard her father shambling down the hall to answer the door, uttering curses the whole way there. She slipped out of bed, padding over to her door to open it a sliver.

“Yeah?” Jeralt greeted as the front door swung open. “Wait. Alois? What in the hell are you doing here?”

Byleth’s ears perked up at the name. She remembered Alois, he worked at Garreg Mach as one of their main recruiters. He was a jovial one, always ready with a terrible pun and a boisterous retelling of his travels around the world. It made him friendly and approachable, trustworthy even. All of which culminated in an effective recruiter.

“Can’t a man visit his old friend, Jeralt,” Alois jested with a bark of laughter.

“Is it a hard ‘n fast rule to wait five years?” Jeralt groused sarcastically. He ran a hand down his face as he yawned. “And didja have to do it at six in the morning?”

“The sooner the better. I learned that from you, Jeralt.”

“Well I oughta kick my own ass if that’s the truth.” Then Jeralt added in a lower tone, “But let’s cut the chit chat and get to the real reason you’re here.”

Silence fell between the two men.

Alois sighed, sullen and downcast unbefitting of his usual demeanor. “Are the twins in? I believe this talk is better held with all of you present.”

Byleth didn’t need to see her father’s face to know that his groggy irritation had sobered up quickly. “You want them in the Jaeger Program again. Don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

“We’re running out of options. Recruitment is declining, and we’re losing Jaegers faster than we can train the ones we _do_ get.”

“No, Alois.” The front door squealed, about to swing shut before Alois stopped it with his hand.  
“Jeralt, please. At least allow me to speak with them.”

Jeralt pushed Alois back and stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind him, plunging the hallway into relative quiet save for their muffled voices. Finally, Byleth stepped out of her room, staring at the closed door in deep thought. What were the odds that Alois would show up at their doorstep after she and Beleth talked about Garreg Mach just last night?

Across from her, Beleth’s bedroom door also creaked open as he shuffled himself out into the hallway.

“Morning, Bebe,” she greeted, reaching up to ruffle his bedhead.

“God, right when I think you’re done calling me that,” he whined before yawning. “What’s got Dad so worked up this early?”

“Alois is here.”

Her brother’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Yeah...”

“It’s the Program, isn’t it?”

She shrugged. “What else could it be? I mean we were _just_ talking about that last Kaiju attack yesterday. I imagine they’re getting short staffed.”

Beleth hummed, brows knitted together, like he was contemplating something. Then, without a word, he made his way towards the front door.

“Bel, what are you doing?” Byleth asked, hurrying after him.

“Making sure that Dad doesn’t kill Alois,” he joked, but there was an underlying seriousness in his voice as he added, “And... this might be our only chance.”

The twins opened the door just in time to see Alois descending the porch steps, his shoulders slumped in defeat and their father standing tall with his arms crossed.

“Alois, wait,” they called after him.

He whirled about, his dejected frown giving way to a wide smile. “Hey, kids. It’s good to see you again.” His gaze lingered on Beleth. “And I’m relieved to see you standing, Beleth,” he said, his voice tapering off at the end.

Beleth nodded. “I’m getting there. We heard you wanted to speak with us.”

“Bel, don’t,” Jeralt interjected, his tone on the cusp of pleading.

“I was here to ask the both of you if you would return to Garreg Mach with me. We are in desperate need of help and veterans like you will be invaluable to the Program.” He looked to Beleth. “Beleth, you’ve been recommended for a position in the program’s surveillance and operations division.” Then he turned his gaze to Byleth. “And you are an ideal candidate for training and instructing new recruits.”

“Training?” Byleth asked. It didn’t sound like what Rhea would want. Beleth was fitted to assist in the operations and surveillance, and her being in an instructor’s position would keep her relatively out of a Jaeger. It was almost too good to be true.

“No one expects an immediate answer from either of you. Though, I would like to request that you visit the base and meet the recruits. With both your reputations I have no doubt it would help boost morale.”

The twins shared looks. Beleth’s tentative hope met Byleth’s uncertain judgement. Even without the Drift, they still had an instinct about what the other was feeling. Like muscle memory. Beleth, with his hope to still make a difference even with his condition was ready to accept. But Byleth, with her uncertainty, could only remember pain and sirens and her brain pounding against her skull.

The two saw these thoughts flicker over one another’s faces. 

Byleth knew her brother’s answer, and gave him a slow, resigned nod.

“I’ll do it,” Beleth said to Alois, his jaw set with conviction.

Byleth, meanwhile, crossed her arms over her chest, not so much in a defiance or haughtiness like she normally would, but rather it was to hold herself. She didn’t like that she was hesitating. As a Jaeger pilot, hesitation leads to disastrous consequences. She and Beleth never had the luxury of hesitance. They acted on the first instinct that crossed their connected psyches no matter what was thrown at them.

She didn’t like hesitating. It made her feel trapped and vulnerable, frozen and inactive from indecision. Yet she couldn’t muster up a definitive decision to the proposal. A simple yes or no wasn't simple at all as she was caught between wanting to return to the fray and kill Kaijus and wanting to stay out of the fight to avoid the inevitable pain.

But one thing’s for sure, she didn’t want to see her twin leave Remire alone.

“I’ll visit the base,” she eventually said. “But I’m not agreeing to anything else.”

“Of course, Byleth,” Alois acquiesced. “It’s a big decision for you, I’m sure. And Beleth my boy, it’s good to have you back on board.”

Beleth straightened his posture, giving the recruiter a curt nod.

“I’m coming too,” Jeralt said, his voice grim.

Alois grinned broadly, clapping a hand over his chest. “Ah, to have the entire Eisner family back in Garreg Mach. What a sight this will make.”

He left them to get dressed and pack for the trip back to the base.

Byleth felt like she was moving in slow motion. Her twin was leaving, going to work for the Jaeger program again. She could too if she wanted to, but did she? She would be a training instructor, someone left out of the fight on principle, but for how long? How long before _she_ would be called into action?

Once she was ready, she stepped out onto the porch, duffle bag in hand, and found Jeralt already standing there waiting. He leaned against the wood railing he built himself just last year, looking out into the rural fields of Remire. She made the mistake of studying his expression. Defeat and anguish creased his features and the watery sheen in his eyes reminded her of when she woke up from her week long coma following the attack. She could see the entire memory playing and replaying in his eyes. Even though Byleth hasn’t made her choice yet and Beleth would be essentially out of the fight, Garreg Mach still bore a stain that cannot be removed.

***

Arriving at Garreg Mach Jaeger Base was like returning to a high school years after graduating. There was a mixture of fondness and exasperated distaste swirling within her as she took in the base that had once been her home. The large front gates slammed behind them as Alois drove the Eisners further and further inside. She had forgotten how different it looked in the daytime with its muted gray walls and towering buildings. All the while, her leg bounced with indecision and anxiousness.

A Jaeger deployed from the hangar. It looked fairly new with fresh black and red paint with eagle wings inked along its arms. It never ceased to amaze her the sheer size of the Jaegers, even after years of piloting them and five more years of seeing them on a TV screen. There were no sirens sounding nor people running amuck towards their stations. _Must be a test run_ , Byleth guessed.

Alois pulled the car into the main hangar and officially announced their arrival. Crew members ran up to greet them and were tasked with taking their things to their respective rooms where they will be staying for however long they wished.

“I assume you three remember the main hangar bay,” Alois said with a grand sweep of his arm as he gestured over the vast area. The Eisners exited the vehicle to take in the two Jaegers standing tall and headless all around them. One was painted bronze almost gold with green trim around the arms with the name Antler Gales stamped along its thigh in block lettering. It was slimmer than most Jaeger’s she’s seen, broadcasting agility and precision over strength. The other, named Cerulean Roar, was a glossy royal blue with longer arms and bulking shoulders, suitable for strong attacks with some reach to them. The third holding dock was empty. That must be for the one that had just been deployed.

She and Beleth looked off toward the far wall where Ashen Demon was traditionally docked. Sure enough, it was there—at least, what was left of it. It was the only Jaeger with its head attached, likely because they weren’t anticipating anyone piloting it ever again.

In a daze, the twins made their way over to the broken Jaeger, their hearts heavy with nostalgia and loss. Just as they had left it: the right arm was missing and its head had a long gash across its right side.

“Still quite a looker, huh?” Beleth chuckled.

Byleth nodded, feeling a lump forming in her throat. “I’m surprised they didn’t strip it for parts.”

At the base of the Jaeger was a podium bearing a silver plaque. The twins moved closer to read it and saw the text _In Commemoration of Ashen Demon Jaeger Pilots Byleth and Beleth Eisner_ . _Garreg Mach is ever grateful for your service._

“How come your name is first?” Beleth questioned.

“Probably because they know I carried your ass in the Drift,” she fired back with a brash grin.

He scoffed. “Yeah right. What’s that even supposed to mean?”

“Ready to head up into the command center, you two?” Alois called from behind them. Jeralt’s expression was still impassive as it had been the entire car ride here. Guilt bubbled in her stomach at the sight of it.

Beleth moved to follow, but paused when Byleth remained rooted in place. “You okay?” he asked.

She waved a hand. “I’m fine.” She looked up at Ashen Demon, away from her father’s solemn face. “I think I want to stay here a little while longer. I’m not looking forward to seeing Rhea again, so I’ll just catch up later.”

Beleth gave her a light slap on the back, giving her an encouraging smile. “Don’t go hijacking Ashen while I’m gone.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

Beleth, Jeralt, and Alois left the hangar, leaving Byleth alone with the metal husk that had once been her Jaeger. She sighed as she looked at its missing limb and mutilated headpiece. She clutched her right shoulder and ran her freehand over the deep scratches in the metal foot and the chipped dark blue paint. 

“Hello again...” she greeted the retired Jaeger. Despite the somber reunion, she recalled the time she and her brother first Drifted together with Ashen Demon. It was nerve wracking, but it was something they both felt at that moment and so they were able to maintain the Drift. She recalled their first fight against a Category 2 Kaiju that earned them the shallow gash in Ashen’s abdomen where they had dodged the Kaiju’s swipe. Lots of good fights were had in this machine.

“A beautiful Jaeger, is it not?” came a woman’s voice beside Byleth, pulling her from her thoughts. She didn’t even realize someone had walked up.

Byleth glanced over at the woman. She wore a plain beige t-shirt and black track pants— the typical Garreg Mach workout uniform. A trainee perhaps? Or maybe even a pilot? Her long white hair was tied off into a ponytail, and her bright violet eyes wide with awe as she took in Ashen Demon’s titan form. ‘Gorgeous’ would be an easy word to describe her, but it didn’t do her any sort of justice. 

“It’s seen better days. Maybe a new coat of paint can spruce it up a bit,” Byleth joked, unable to hide the fondness lacing her tone.

“Of course, the crux of any good Jaeger,” the woman played along. Then added with sincerity, “This shade of blue was always one of my favorites”

“Are you familiar with Ashen?”

The woman responded with a sly smile, “You could say that. I made sure to know the history of Garreg Mach’s Jaegers and their pilots prior to my enrollment here. The Ashen Demon was fascinating to read about especially.”

“Oh yeah? _This_ scrap of junk ‘fascinating’?” Byleth mused. 

“Well, it may not look like much now, but its history has been the talk of the base long before I enrolled,” the woman defended. “You must be new here if you aren’t already aware of that fact.”

Byleth raised her hands in defeat. “You got me. I’m just visiting actually. My brother is the new operator, I just wanted to see him off.”

The woman crossed her arms over her chest, a triumphant smile tugging at her lips. “I’d be happy to show you around if that’s the case.”

Byleth hummed, pretending to contemplate the woman’s offer. “Maybe another time,” she said. Then she rapped her knuckles against the Jaegar’s metal foot. “I’m more curious about what you’ve learned about Ashen here.”

The woman stood at attention, her eyes alight with fervor. “Well to start, it was piloted by the youngest team known for their unparalleled bond in the Drift. The Ashen Demon has seen twenty-two successful Kaiju fights ranging between Categories 1-3 in its career. Unfortunately, five years ago a tragic fight with an unfathomably strong Category 3 Kaiju forced Ashen Demon into retirement. Meanwhile its pilots have left the Program with honorable discharge.”

Honorable discharge? Byleth echoed in her thoughts. Heh. So that’s how she and her brother were remembered. Funny, she remembers distinctly that she _quit_ the program, refused Rhea and Seteth outright. But something like that would be a stain on their record, no doubt. 

“At least, that’s the information General Rhea disclosed to public records,” the woman disclaimed. “I’m sure there are swaths of classified information that isn’t readily available to a mere recruit such as myself.”

“Heh. Yeah, that sounds like Rhea,” Byleth muttered spitefully to herself, but the woman easily heard it.

“You’re familiar with her?”

“You could say that,” she fired back smoothly, using the woman’s previous words against her with a sly smile of her own.

“Well played,” the woman commended. She held out a hand. “Edelgard von Hresvelg, future Jaeger pilot of Talon Inferno.”

She took Edelgard’s hand and shook it. “Byleth.”

Edelgard paused, her brows knitting together for a fraction of a second before her eyes widened and darted to the engraved plaque then back to Byleth. “Byleth _Eisner_?”

“That’s me.”

“So that means... Beleth Eisner is going to be our new operator.”

“You’re all caught up now.”

Edelgard laughs breathlessly. “When Alois mentioned that he would bring the Ashen Twins to Garreg Mach no one believed he actually _could_.” Suddenly Edelgard’s violet eyes glimmered with hope. “Then, does that also mean that you’re the new instructor they have been posting for?”

Byleth winced, rubbing the back of her neck. “I really am just here for my brother.”

“Oh. That’s quite a shame then,” Edelgard said, disappointment clear in her tone. “We could use someone like you again with how things have been.”

The former pilot said nothing and instead turned back towards the Jaeger with a grimace.

“It’s because of what happened five years ago?” Edelgard prodded.

“I don’t... I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Edelgard flinched and moved back a step, her head bowed. “I see. My apologies for overstepping.”

“It’s okay,” she reassured. The downtrodden frown didn’t look right on Edelgard, she noted. Already she could feel a thick layer of tension and awkwardness settle over them.

Overhead, the speaker clicked on. “Attention. Attention all Jaeger recruits. Please report to the training hall.”

Edelgard sighed once the announcer fell silent. 

“Duty calls?” Byleth said.

“Yes it would seem so. Strange, I wasn’t told we were conducting drills today.” Edelgard shook her head of any further thoughts. “At any rate, I’ll just be going then. I’m sorry about what I said. It was an honor to meet you, Miss Eisner.”

Edelgard went to walk away, and for the first time since this morning, Byleth didn’t hesitate. “Wait,” Byleth quickly called before Edelgard could fall out of earshot.

Thankfully, Edelgard complied, staring back at her with an inquisitive gaze.

“Just Byleth,” she said, grinning softly and hoping that it would be enough to break the tense atmosphere that threatened to smother them both. Then she retaliated with, “It was nice meeting you too, Miss Hresvelg.”

Edelgard shook her head with an airy scoff, but she was smiling nonetheless. _Much better,_ Byleth thought wistfully, feeling a small flutter in her chest. 

“Just Edelgard,” she returned. Then she was gone, once again leaving Byleth with Ashen Demon.

The former pilot craned her neck back, her eyes closed as she released a satisfied exhale. However her inevitable meeting with Rhea turns out, at least she could confidently say she didn’t regret coming back to the base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yaaay edel's officially in the fic :3  
> also I read on twiter that the cindered shadows update to byleth's interests and likes in japanese say that she likes smiles and im an emotional wreck over it. I had to incorporate it somehow to here take it hnnng  
> speaking of which find me on twitter @ashtree111 where I spend more time going through my likes of edeleth art for serotonin than anything else on the app


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to get out. Needless to say that things have been crazy, but all the same I hope that this chapter is enjoyable and that I can do this au justice despite the long writing gap

Byleth wasn’t keen on being paraded around like a mascot and it was easily another reason why she and her brother were asked to return. But as much as she wanted to put it off, Byleth couldn’t get out of being roped into whatever Alois had planned to convince her to come back. Still, she’d be damned if she didn’t at least try.

Alois found her hiding in the mess hall and jovially announced how the recruits were conducting their training drills; “a prime opportunity to observe their skills,” he had said.

Following behind the recruiter, Byleth dragged her hand over the walls of the familiar corridor—the cherished hallways she had called home. She didn’t need to look to know where she was going. She could walk this base blindfolded and still get to the places she needed to go. Garreg Mach was a military base—the opposite of what a home should be—but she couldn’t deny that it had given her purpose, something to fight for.

She didn’t see herself as a teaching type, let alone for something like Jaeger piloting. One isn’t simply _taught_ how to Drift, it’s something that happens in the moment and the experience varies from person to person. Surely something like that couldn’t be expected to be put into a palatable lecture.

Beleth and Jeralt were already there waiting for them just outside the training room where the muffled grunts and clacking of bo staffs sounded from the closed door.

With a wide grin, Alois pushed open the doors that loudly announced their arrival. Dozens of eyes fell onto them, all of them wide with surprise from the abrupt arrival and curiosity.

“Recruits! We have very special guests with us today.” He paused for dramatic effect, and quiet exasperated groans and eye rolls emanated from the Eisners. “I would like to humbly introduce you all to Beleth and Byleth Eisner.”

The reactions were immediate as the curious looks became bright with recognition and disbelief. Byleth only nodded in acknowledgement at the attention, idly scanning her gaze over the faces of the recruits. So bright-eyed and burning with conviction. She almost forgot what that looked like.

“God, is _that_ what we used to look like,” Beleth whispered to her.

She snickered under her breath, lightly jabbing her elbow into his side. Then her eyes stopped on a familiar shock of white hair. She flashed Edelgard a smile, earning a small wave from her in return.

“Many of you may know them as the Ashen Twins before they retired. Now why not show them what they’ve been missing these past five years, eh?”

As the recruits resumed their sparring, now with renewed vigor and grit, Alois leaned in closer to the twins. “We’re still looking for drift compatible pilots,” he explained. “Though we do have some promising pairs that have already begun piloting.”  
“Who should I be paying attention to?” Byleth asked while Beleth only hummed thoughtfully.

“So far we have Dimitri and Dedue for the Cerulean Roar,” he pointed to a blond man fighting another with white hair and buzz cut. “And Hilda and Marianne for the Antler Gales,” he pointed to a pair of women that reminded Byleth of cotton candy with their bright blue and pink hair.

That was only two of the Jaegers he mentioned out of the three docks she saw in the hangar. What was the name of the last one? She heard Edelgard say its name...

“What about the Talon Inferno?” she asked when she finally remembered.

“Ah yes,” Alois chuckled uneasily, “we have a few pairs we are considering, though we are favoring Edelgard to be one of the pilots.”

Byleth waited for the second name to follow. But it never came. “And?” she prompted.

“That it.”

“She doesn’t have a drift partner?” That wasn’t what she expected. With how Edelgard spoke earlier about her being here, it sounded as though the woman was only days away from going toe to toe with a Kaiju. 

Then she watched Edelgard fight. It was entrancing to say the least: her form was flawless and her blows were powerful and relentless, her opponent couldn’t come close to retaliating. But that wasn’t the point of these sparring sessions. 

“Oh. I see it now.”

“I thought you might,” Alois sighed. “She’s one of our top recruits, but no one else seems to match her. We thought maybe Hubert would be compatible, but only barely. We have Dorothea and Petra being considered to pilot, but they’re not quite at the level of skill we need them to be yet. We’re desperate, but not _that_ desperate to throw them into the fray unprepared.” 

Byleth crossed her arms. Instead of admiring the woman’s skill, she began to study it. She observed the way the woman kept her stance wide and grounded, and how she favored delivering harsh blows to her opponent. There was all give and little take. The opposite of what pilots needed.

Edelgard, who had been sneaking glances over at the Ashen Twin, had enough of the scrutiny and halted her sparring altogether. “Have anything to comment on, Miss Eisner?” Edelgard challenged with a hand on her hip.

The other fighters’ attentions turned to them, but neither of them really paid it any mind.

Byleth shrugged. “You’re a good fighter. But that’s not what counts when you’re in a Jaeger.”

The woman scoffed, bringing her bo staff up over her shoulders to rest her arms on. “Oh? Then would you care to demonstrate then, oh great Ashen Twin?”

She felt her fingers twitch in response and a familiar spike in heartbeat. Anticipation. “No problem, Miss Hresvelg.”

Without breaking eye contact, Byleth removed her shoes and sauntered onto the training mat, oblivious to how her father’s hand went to grasp her shoulder, but pulled back at the last moment with a deep and resigned frown. Beleth patted his shoulder with a weak smile, trying to be as reassuring as he could.

Edelgard’s opponent, slack jawed and starstruck as Byleth stepped onto the training mat, offered his bo staff to her.

She accepted it with a nod, twirling it in her hands purely out of habit before giving her full attention onto Edelgard. “Any sparring partner you face off with has the potential to Drift with you. Sparring here isn’t about one-upping your opponent.”

Edelgard didn’t comment as they circled one another. She held her staff ready, eyeing Byleth for any indication of a strike in between the impromptu lecture.

“What is it then?” she asked.

Byleth stopped, dropped into a stance and swung her staff. With a fraction of a second to react, Edelgard brought the back of hers up to block the strike before going for a counterstrike, aiming for Byleth’s left shoulder to score the point against her. As fast as she was to attack, Edelgard was blocked just as easily and she got a smirking Byleth out of the exchange as well. 

“It’s give and take,” Byleth continued. Then she jerked her chin in the direction of her father. “An old man once told me that if this was the 19th century, then we’d be waltzing right now,” Byleth said by way of explanation as she took a step forward and swung her staff for a strike of her own. Edelgard, caught off guard by the woman’s words, felt her bicep sting from the impact.

“Think about why you’re here when you take a step and find the rhythm with me,” Byleth instructed.

With an indignant huff, she shook it off and readied her staff. 

The two reengaged, their staffs clacking loudly as they exchanged blow after blow in equal measure. It was like they took turns being on the backfoot. Where one would take a step forward to attack, the other stepped back to block. Where one managed to land hits, the other was just as quick to return the favor. All while they never broke the flow of their dance.

For Byleth, it was like revisiting an old passion, falling back into its routine as if she’d never left it. It was still different though, invigorating even, to learn how Edelgard, a complete stranger to her, ticked as opposed to fighting her brother whom she’s known all her life. In turn, Byleth could see that Edelgard was slowly letting down the guard that compelled her to overcome her opponent rather than move with them. A Jaeger needs two pilots working in tandem, any semblance of imbalance can mean life or death against a Kaiju.

Eventually, though Byleth was loath to admit it, her muscles were beginning to strain under the sudden combat intensity after years of only farming and fishing. Likewise, Edelgard was losing energy due to her bouts with her previous sparring partner.

Their fight soon ended as both opponents spun about with mirroring grunts, swinging their respective staffs with the momentum and halted them just before the wood met their necks. Gusts of air blew against their ears, but neither one flinched. If they had been wielding swords, it would’ve looked much more threatening. 

They panted for breath, unwilling to break eye contact even as they slowly lowered their staffs away and stepped out of their stances.

“That’s what Jaegar sparring is,” Byleth managed to finally say. “You don’t need to emerge on top, you just need to make an equal playing field.”

“I see,” Edelgard said in a daze. For the first time, she truly looked at the woman before her, from the sheen of sweat on her forehead, to the steadying rise and fall of her breaths that seemed in sync with her own. Her heart was pounding, too loud to belong to just one person. Perhaps it was the fatigue setting in, but she felt like Byleth’s heart had joined hers to create a thundering symphony.

Edelgard cleared her throat, shirking off the ridiculous train of thought. “Thank you, Miss Eisner, for the advice,” she said with a curt nod.

“Oh I think she did much more than that,” a new voice cut through the training room. A few gasps came from the other trainees and they all scrambled to stand at attention and salute. Standing at the entrance was Rhea and Seteth. 

Byleth tensed at the sight of the two leaders. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath, which didn’t go unnoticed by Edelgard. Strangely enough, she was the only recruit who didn’t salute the General, but Byleth knew that now wasn’t the time to ask why.

Alois straightened his posture, clicking his heels together in a textbook salute. “General Rhea!” he greeted. “Excellent timing.”

“Yes indeed,” Rhea said with a nod. “A most impressive display from the both of you. It makes me proud to be a part of this Jaeger Program.”

She spoke with the same monotoned serenity that had always irked Byleth. It was unconventional for a general to be this serene in the face of monsters rising out of the sea, and there was a sense that there was something else just lurking beneath the surface of such calmness. Like a storm ready to crash over the mainland. 

Rhea nodded to Beleth. “Welcome back to Garreg Mach, Beleth. I’m overjoyed to have you on the operations team in our time of need.” Then she turned her attention to Byleth. “And I see that you haven’t lost your skill, Byleth. Am I correct to assume that you’ve considered our proposal?”

Byleth’s fingers curled tighter around her bo staff. “Just giving a demonstration.”

“Yes and perfectly illustrating a textbook example of Drift Compatibility in the process,” Seteth added.

Byleth sucked in a breath, feeling like she played right into their hands. Drift compatible? With Edelgard? Glancing about, she could see the expectant looks on the recruits’ faces. Though they’ve never seen her in a Jaeger, her reputation and her impromptu sparring was more than enough proof they need to want her to stay.

Jeralt’s heavy hand fell on her shoulder, signalling her to remain silent. “We should discuss this in private, Rhea.”

The general nodded readily, sighing softly as she always does. “Yes of—”

Suddenly sirens blared overhead, making everyone in the room jump and a few even yelped. Flashing red lights filled the room and the hallway, filling the twins’ vision. They locked eyes, both wide with fear as they were reminded of their piloting days—of that night.

Byleth felt her breaths quicken, her left shoulder flaring up with its familiar phantom pain and she summoned every ounce of willpower not to reach for it. Looking at her twin, it was apparent that he was struggling to do the same.

“Another attack so soon? But how?” Seteth said in disbelief.

“We can discuss the ‘how’ later,” Rhea admonished before turning to the rest of the recruits. “Pilots, to your Jaegers now.”

Even through her rising panic, Byleth frowned as the pilots Alois had pointed out earlier all saluted and raced out of the training room. They were sending trainees out to fight?

Then the general turned to the Eisner family. “You’re welcome to accompany Beleth to the command center while we commence our counterattack. We will continue our discussion once this matter has been dealt with.”

Just as Byleth was about to follow her family out, she felt a tug on her arm. Turning, she found that it was Edelgard. The woman had her mouth open to speak, but there was hesitance painted over her features and glazed over her violet eyes.

“Edelgard?”

“I... we’re...” Hesitance. No, it wasn’t just hesitance, there was conflict. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

Byleth frowned at the deflection, but didn’t push the subject. She knew what the woman was trying to say.

 _Demonstrating textbook Drift Compatibility,_ Seteth's voice echoed over the blaring sirens.

She gave the woman a weak, parting smile. “Stay safe,” she said, before finally leaving.

As she was lead down the halls, dodging the rush of crew members amidst the cacophony of sirens, Byleth couldn’t help but wonder if seeing a Kaiju again from behind the safety of the control center’s screen would quell the memories clawing at her mind, or the nausea that had begun to rise into her throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always you can find me on twitter @ashtree111 where all the animal crossing posts made me get the game myself  
> I also made link for coffee as like a tip jar if anyone feels so inclined to help support my work


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took so long and saw so many rewrites UGH  
> anyway thank you, guys, for your patience i really hope that this chapter was worth the wait

Rhea’s pace was brisk, as was Seteth’s as the two lead them all towards the command center. All around them, the flashing lights and bustling technicians filled the hallways, making it difficult to pass through smoothly. But that didn’t stop Byleth from matching the General’s stride. The initial shock and panic from the sirens gradually subsided, her mind was clearer and the familiar anger towards Rhea had settled within her chest.

“You’re going to send _trainees_ in to fight?” Byleth demanded, incredulous at the General’s audacious course of action.

“We have no other alternatives,” Rhea explained in her usual eerie calmness. “There are no experienced veterans left here in Garreg Mach. Though the program’s funding has been halted, other parts of the world still require their services and so they were sent off.”

“You don’t even know what category Kaiju this is and you’re just sending them out?”

“Hence why we’re two Jaegers, Miss Eisner,” Seteth said with a pointed glare. “We’ve learned our lesson five years ago and have cautioned against solo outings. These recruits are more than capable of piloting and entering combat, this is not their first time. Now if you please, unless you are accepting the instructor position, I will have to ask you to refrain from further arguments until the situation has been dealt with.”

Byleth pressed her lips into a thin line. She had plenty more to say, but with the impending chaos on the horizon, she recognized that her opinions would be drowned out. She slowed her steps, letting the two officials take the lead. To her right, Beleth came up next to her.

“This isn’t right, Bel,” she said to him.

“Alois _did_ say that they aren’t desperate enough to send trainees who aren’t ready yet,” he reminded. “Sending two Jaegers out sounds like a solid plan.”

“Maybe... Yeah, maybe I’m just overthinking it.” She rubbed her temple with a sigh.

Before she knew it, the panel door to the command center hissed open. Rhea led them over to a man seated at the center of the room, who swiveled in his chair to salute the general. 

“Beleth, meet Claude von Reigan. He was once a recruit assigned to pilot Antler Gale, but has elected to assist in operations here in the command center instead,” Rhea introduced. “His uncanny tactician skills have especially proven useful time and time again.” 

Then she turned to Claude, “This is Beleth and Byleth Eisner. They were once a part of the program five years ago. Beleth will be rejoining us as an operator, so I trust that you will show him how we do things.”

“No worries, General,” Claude gave the twins a two-fingered salute. “Welcome to the tech side of the action.”

Byleth sized him up. A smile that looked friendly enough, but didn’t reach his eyes, and a laid back posture that looked too practiced to be genuine.

“You were a recruit for the Jaeger program?” she reiterated.

Claude shrugged. “Yeah, but I learned pretty early on that having someone in my head isn’t the most appealing thing in the world.” He tapped the side of his head with a wink. “I like to keep the stuff in here to myself.”

The Ashen Twins hummed indifferently. Can’t relate to that.

“But enough about me, I’m supposed to give you the rundown of all this stuff.” Claude patted the seat beside his. “Take a seat, uh, Beleth, was it?”

He nodded in response, his jaw set with conviction, and sat in the proffered chair. As the two conversed, Byleth, meanwhile, stood off to the side with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes fell on the screens showing the feeds from the cameras on base that lead into the Jaeger loading bay. In them, she watched as the pilots for Azure Roar and Antler Gale jog towards their respective bays. They were already dressed in their jumpsuits, ready to be outfitted with the final pieces of the pilot gear.

“General Rhea, the target Kaiju has been classified as a Category 3,” reported one of the operators.

“Pull up its location,” Rhea ordered.

Claude and Beleth brought up the radar of the encroaching monster, represented by a red dot in a sea of blue. It was still a ways away, advancing towards the city at a lumbering pace.

Another screen blinked to life with the readings of the Jaeger pilots.

“Antler Gale, Azure Roar, do you copy?” Claude spoke into the comm.

“Copy. Azure Roar reporting and ready for drop,” came a baritone voice.

“Nice to hear your sweet, melodious voice, Dedue,” Claude quipped, which was only met with an indifferent grunt.

An audible, exasperated sigh sounded from the other Jaeger’s communication line. “Antler Gale ready for drop. Can we get this over with already?”

Claude chuckled. “Lively as ever I see, Hilda. Alright, drop sequences are a go.”

Rhea leaned in closer to Byleth, murmuring, “Claude was slated to be Hilda’s co-pilot before he opted out and Marianne was considered instead.”

Byleth noted that he got along well with the pilots. A good operator communicates effectively and keeps the pilots level-headed when needed. She recalled back to when Jeralt was that person to her and her brother whenever they went out to battle.

She looked over at him, observing how he glanced out the room with an unreadable expression. He was always someone who didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve often, especially when it came to being around Rhea and Seteth. The only exception to this resolve was the night he nearly lost both his kids.

“Commencing neural handshakes in t-minus fifteen seconds.”

Habitually, Byleth breathed in slow, measured breaths in time with the countdown. It was strange to be standing on the outside of the process that she has been so intimate with.

“Neural handshakes complete. Nice job, guys, lookin’ as strong as ever,” Claude concluded. Then he typed away at the console. “Your target is a Category 3 Kaiju closing in on the northwest. You know the drill.”

“Understood,” came a new voice from Azure Roar. ‘Dimitri,’ Byleth remembers Alois mentioning. “Azure Roar moving out.”

“Hilda?” Claude prodded.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re ready.” Then, in a more chipper voice, “Play us out, Marianne!”

“Oh! Um, A-antler Gale moving out,” Marianne said timidly.

Byleth’s ears perked at the woman’s small voice and a worried frown creased her expression. She sounded... scared, unsure. Even Beleth flinched at the softness.

She turned to Rhea, fury igniting behind her eyes. “I thought they were capable of battle. Marianne sounds like she’s one word away from dropping the Drift.”

The general raised a placating hand, but it only made the former pilot bristle. “I understand your concern, Byleth, but I assure you that Marianne and Hilda are extremely capable fighters. Marianne is a soft spoken person, but her resolve in combating kaijus is strong, as is her Drift with Hilda.”

“Target spotted. Azure Roar engaging,” Dimitri’s voice interjected, making Byleth whirl back around to watch the video feed of the Jaegers coming up on the advancing Kaiju. 

The beast itself looked to be made up of more bones than flesh. With a wide skull resembling a hammerhead shark, a hulking build, and a spine protruding out from it’s back in spikes, the Kaiju showcased strong defense and equally strong offense if the Jaegers didn't maneuver correctly.

Her teeth caught her bottom lip. She had no choice but to watch and hope that these pilots could hold their own against the beast.

It was made apparent that Azure Roar was the most offensive Jaeger of the two as its longer arms made for an advantageous combat style as it drove its bladed arm across the bone armor and any bits of exposed flesh they could manage to find. 

Antler Gale, meanwhile, was fast and nimble and used those traits to act as a distraction to create openings for Azure Roar to press on the offense. It was impressive, to say the least, to see a Jaeger move with such fluidity.

After a minute of observation, Byleth deduced that the two women piloting the Jaeger relied heavily on building and maintaining intense momentum via rocket boosters to stay ahead of the Kaiju’s attacks, but still close enough to get its attention through swift strikes. A technique like that was fragile though, especially with how long it was taking Azure Roar to even make a dent in the Kaiju’s natural armor.

“As you can see, Miss Eisner, the pilots have a set strategy, courtesy of Mr. von Reigan, that has proven effective thus far. Garreg Mach has been able to stand strong these past five years,” Seteth explained as the fight continued on.

“Then why do you need me to teach?” she muttered to herself. If they were so confident then why bring the Ashen Twin back? There had to be more to this.

Though the battle was going well enough for the Jaegers, Byleth couldn’t shake that something else was going to happen, something bad. Call it a sixth-sense from years of being in a Jaeger, or call it paranoia, either way Byleth has learned to trust her instincts and show no hesitation.

She shook the thought away. Now was not the time to be hasty. She wasn’t a pilot anymore and held no authority to voice her concern. All she could do was watch closely at the live feed.

The Kaiju swung its claws at the lithe Antler Gale, missing by a fraction and left itself open for a devastating strike to its armored gut from Azure Roar. The shockwave of the impact seemed to seep out from the video feed, but Byleth hardly flinched, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. Then her breath hitched. Instead of collapsing from the blow, the monster persisted through the impact and rammed its wide, boney skull hard against Azure Roar’s chest. The Jaeger staggered back, struggling to regain balance but couldn’t find purchase as the Kaiju lunged at them.

Azure Roar found itself pinned down, rushing ocean water burying them as the Kaiju dug its claws deep into the metal of Azure’s body.

Pained cries came erupted from Azure Roar’s comms and Antler Gale rushed to their rescue. They fired off a thick tethering cord at the monster’s large paw, halting it mid-swing and pulled it backward. With their free arm, Antler Gale released a stream of fire at the Kaiju’s face. With a screech, the Kaiju pulled hard against the tether, knocking Anter off balance and into the ocean. With the Jaeger now vulnerable, the Kaiju rammed its head again and again into Antler Gale, denting the metal until sparks flew. The sight made all their hearts stop. The Jaeger is equipped with a flamethrower it cannot afford to ignite.

Azure Roar pushed itself up to stand and rushed to tackle the Kaiju off of their teammate.

“Hilda! Marianne! Retreat now!” Dimitri shouted. “We’ll hold it off.”

“We can’t just leave you,” Marianne protested.

“You’re at severe risk of explosion, you two. To the escape pods now, ” Rhea ordered. Then to Claude, “Call in air support and an extraction team.”

“On it,” Claude complied and radioed in the strike.

Beleth swiveled around in his chair. “Air strikes won’t do anything to a defensive-heavy Kaiju, General.”

“You’re right, but we need to get the beast’s attention off Azure. They are our only chance to finish it off.”

Byleth tuned out what they were saying. She continued to study the fight, digging her nails into her palms and taking note of how the Kaiju utilized its skull like a battering ram against the Jaegers. It was taking the beating in the beginning to lull the pilots into a false sense of confidence before finally showing its full strength.

That’s when Byleth came to a realization, one that had reared its chilling head five years ago when a Kaiju ripped off the arm of a Jaeger for the first time since the program began: the Kaijus can learn from their opponents.

The air support in the form of fighter jets and attack helicopters with machine guns arrived on the scene and fired round after round of ammunition at the beast. Though they succeeded in drawing its attention away from Azure Roar, it merely roared in annoyance before turning towards Antler Gale, delivering a final blow against their right shoulder just as an escape pod shot out the back.

Seeing the impact made Byleth clutch her own arm as phantom pain flared up. But she kept her focus trained on the screen.

The airstrikes may as well have been shooting firecrackers. They need a heavy hitting Jaeger to break through the defense.

Byleth thought about the third Jaeger she saw wandering outside the base when they first pulled up. The colors stuck out most in her memory: shining red and black paint with wings detailed on its massive arms. But even though she didn’t think about it much in the moment, her brain recognized strength in its form out of pure instinct.

“Talon Inferno,” she said aloud, interjecting in the ongoing conversation.

“What about it?” Rhea wondered.

“I saw it on our way here. It looked like it was built for power, it can help break through the Kaiju’s armor.”

Rhea sighed. “Talon Inferno was the last Jaeger to finish production before the program was defunded. In comparison to Azure and Antler, it is a mere prototype and so its viability in combat is purely speculation at best.”

Seteth continued, “Also too, there are no proper pilots to operate it. Only specialized technicians with no aptitude for combat have had the opportunities. We have potential candidates of course, however—”

Just then, the door behind them hissed open and in walked Edelgard flanked by Hubert. “Send me then,” the woman said with a determined set of her jaw.

Rhea gave the woman a sympathetic frown. “Miss Hresvelg, I am moved by your continuous passion for contributing to the cause, but you still lack a compatible partner to properly pilot Talon.” Her eyes drifted to Hubert. “Though I assume that is why you’re here? To petition once more for another chance to Drift together?”

The grim man shook his head. “I am merely here to accompany Edelgard in case this devolves into another heated debate, nothing more.”

Seteth furrowed his brows and his voice edging just above annoyance, “In case you haven’t noticed, we are in the midst of a hostile encounter, we do not have time for trivial matters.”

Edelgard ignored him and instead strode closer to Byleth, her intense violet gaze never leaving the former pilot’s steely cobalt.

“Drift with me,” Edelgard said simply. And yet the statement slammed Byleth’s heartbeat to a standstill.

Everyone in the room was silent. Even Seteth had no retort.

All words failed her, there were too many to say at once. They were Compatible, yes, but there was more to piloting than sparring one time. Not to mention, she’s been out of the fight for five years, who’s to say that she’s even fit for piloting anymore.

“Edelgard...” she began, but that was all she could manage to say.

“Byleth, no,” Jeralt pleaded, speaking up for the first time since they gathered here. He walked over to her and held both her shoulders. Beleth rose from his chair and placed a placating hand on Jeralt’s arm. But he kept his focus on his daughter. “Please. You can’t. Not again.” 

Even as her father tried to catch her eyes, she still looked to Edelgard. 

Violet irises softened, though no less full of decisiveness. “I understand the risk of Drifting with a partner for the first time, no matter how Compatible they may seem. I also understand that what happened to you five years ago was beyond devastating. But my teammates are in danger and I’m not willing to watch this happen knowing that there is something that can be done. Are _you_?”

The words that were caught in her throat seemed to constrict it like a boa, making it harder to breathe. Getting into Jaeger is just going to be a repeat of that night. She can’t handle it if that happened again. She wasn’t like her brother. She didn’t want to come back to Garreg Mach, much less fight under General Rhea. Rainfall and thunder echoed through the recesses of her mind, filled her senses until all she could feel was a numbing heat on top of an unrelenting haze of indiscernible thoughts. She couldn’t do it, _shouldn’t_ do it. Her time to change the world was done.

The comms filled with Azure Roar’s grunts of effort and cries of conviction... was that what she and Beleth sounded like that night? Azure Roar was all alone, just like they were. No one can come to their rescue and if they fall, so does the city. She was terrified at the possibility of reliving that night again, but it was happening right in front of her. No one should go through that. Maybe her time to change the world was done, but at the very least she can help people like Edelgard and the rest of the recruits to get their shot at it.

And so, Byleth tore her gaze away from Edelgard, finally meeting her father’s eyes that glistened with the fear that had gripped their family for so long. Gingerly, she reached up, grasped his hands, and pulled them off her shoulders. They fell away without resistance, slack with shock and defeat.

“They need help, Dad. I want to help them.” she said, trying not to break under his devastated gaze.

Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as she spoke to Edelgard once more, “I can’t promise that I can fight like I did before, but I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all I ask, Byleth. But it’s not just about can or cannot. We will do it, and we do it right.” At that declaration, she held out a hand to Byleth.

The former pilot took a slow breath, surprised that her hand didn’t shake as she raised it to grasp Edelgard’s. She gave the woman a small smile before requesting to the general,“I need a jumpsuit."

Rhea nodded definitively with a ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips. “I will tell the crew to expect you both. Thank you, Byleth, this program is indebted to you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Byleth said as she followed Edelgard out of the command room. All the while, she couldn’t bear to spare Jeralt a glance, knowing that looking at him would crack her already tenuous resolve.

Once they were gone, Seteth couldn’t remain silent. “Rhea, we can’t just send out a prototype into combat,” he criticized in a harsh, yet still hushed voice.

“We have no other option. Antler Gale will need repairs and the people need to know that we have another Jaeger to take its place.” Then her green eyes darkened, flashing with uncharacteristic anger that made Seteth flinch, “While I hate knowing that sending Talon Inferno will likely make Arundel have more leverage here, I hope that it will at least keep him sated.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Ashtree111)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! sorry for the wait  
> *punts this out*

“They asked me to be the new instructor here and I don’t know if I’m really cut out for that. But I’m gonna do my best to give you a crash course. First off, what do you know about Drifting?” Byleth asked Edelgard. Now outfitted with jumpsuits, the two swiftly made their way to the room to be outfitted with the rest of the piloting gear.

“Of course. It’s the apparatus for which pilots are able to perform in sync, which is integral to piloting a Jaeger,” Edelgard recited. “Both parties undergo the process of melding minds into one consciousness, sharing memories, emotions, and thoughts. Because of the inherent intimacy of the Drift, the compatibility of the pilots is crucial.”

Byleth hummed, impressed at the precise definition. If there was a textbook on Jaeger piloting, she imagined that that would be the opening paragraph. “And are you prepared for that?” she asked. “You’ll be in my head, and I’m going to be in yours.”

For a moment, Edelgard’s posture faltered, her violet eyes flickered with apprehension. It was gone in a blink, but Byleth saw it. She saw it because she expected it. 

“I’ve had years to prepare. Granted, I’ve prepared enough to know that there is a fine line that divides it from readiness, but I am here regardless.” She looked over at the former pilot. “I think it’s appropriate for me to ask that of you as well. After all, you’ve Drifted with a sibling your entire career. I can’t imagine that Drifting with a stranger will be easy.”

Byleth smiled wryly, “Neither can I. We have that in common then. Look at that, we’re practically friends now.”

Edelgard chuckled in spite of the tense situation at hand. “I’m glad you think so.”

They arrived at the place and Byleth fell into the rhythm of letting the crew don the pieces of the pilot gear. Byleth’s eyes fell closed during it, focused on her breathing and not on the squealing drills filling the room or the overhead comms calling for all technicians to Talon Inferno.

The plates were fastened and the crew stepped away, clearing the way for the pilots to proceed through the automatic doors that led to the elevators that would take them up to their loading dock. Instinctively, Byleth went to turn left, but Edelgard lightly grasped her shoulder.  _ Wrong way _ , her violet gaze told her.

“Sorry.” She corrected herself and followed her to the right most elevator.

“Old habits?” Edelgard surmised.

She shrugged. “They die hard. I just hope enough of them survived the five years.”

“I hope so too, Byleth.”

The two stopped in front of the hatch that led into the head of the Jaeger.  _ Their _ Jaeger... Byleth never thought she’d ever call another Jaeger hers. Well, technically it wasn’t. She was just a guest in it for the day.

A technician opened the hatch and Edelgard wasted no time stepping inside. Byleth, meanwhile, hesitated. She peered inside, taking note of how the cockpit looked like Ashen Demon’s but also not at the same time. It was clean, practically unused. She half expected it to smell like a new car. 

In a blink she saw raining sparks from exposed wiring from the top of the Jaeger’s head. Her ears perked at distant sounds of rain pelting metal and the crash of ocean waves. 

“Byleth,” Edelgard called. “We don’t have much time.”

She shook her head, blinking through the memory. Giving Edelgard a stiff smile, she entered the cockpit. “I’m ready.”

“Do you have a preferred side?”

She eyed the left, and in turn her right side flared up in pain. As always, it wasn’t painful enough to pull a sound of her, but just enough to make her wince.

“Left,” she eventually answered. Old habits die hard.

Edelgard nodded and gestured for her to take her position.

Their boots fastened into the platform, and the technicians got to work on hooking their arms to the control braces.

“I should warn you, Edelgard,” Byleth said as the techs installed their spinal components. “When we Drift, you’ll probably see the day that... made me retire. It’s not going to be pretty.” She fixed the woman with a serious look, but Edelgard could detect an underlying plea. “So whatever you do, don’t chase the rabbit.”

Chasing rabbits: a phenomenon when one or both pilots followed a memory so deep they lose themselves in it. Though compatibility reduced the likelihood, it was something that always loomed at the back of their connected minds. 

It helped that she and Beleth shared the same lifestyle, were there for each other at their low points and shared moments of high points. There wasn’t anything in the Drift that could pull their concentration away. But now... Edelgard’s mind was as much of a mystery as hers was to Edelgard.

The technicians gave them their helmets and left the cockpit. One of them spoke into a radio, but neither of the pilots were paying attention. Their focus was on each other. 

Edelgard spoke, her voice somber and quiet, “The same goes for you. Whatever you’re about to see in my mind, I must ask that you keep it to yourself. Please.” She pulled the helmet over her head, ending the conversation.

Questions billowed on the tip of her tongue, but now wasn’t the time. So she silently nodded and slipped on her helmet as well.

“Talon Inferno ready for drop,” Edelgard spoke.

“Roger that, princess,” Claude responded. “Hold on tight.”

The cockpit lurched and dropped before slowing to a stop to lock into place between the Jaeger’s shoulders.

“How’re you feeling, By?” Beleth asked. “I see, Ms. Hresvelg gave you the left side.”

“I’ll let you know as we go.”

“Kid,” Jeralt’s grim and gruff voice joined in. “Please. Be careful.”

“...Okay, Dad.”

“Neural handshake in t-minus fifteen seconds,” Claude announced. “Fifteen, fourteen...”

Byleth felt her pulse quicken and she swallowed. She gave Edelgard one last look before facing forward and letting her eyes fall closed as she breathed slowly. Faintly, she could hear Edelgard doing the same.

“Four, three, two... one.”

No matter how many times she’s done it, Byleth couldn’t quite place what the handshake felt like. It was something like... a dizziness, an airy lightness like if her brain was being put in zero gravity; the calm before the storm of memories came washing in.

It started with her childhood as it always does: fishing at the lake, climbing trees, and reading the books kept at her bedside. Soon her subconsciousness became nudged with something else. Where Beleth’s mind had slotted flush with hers, Edelgard’s was like an oddly shaped puzzle piece trying to find a way to fit. Tentatively, Byleth met Edelgard for their handshake, allowing a flood of memories to flow into her.

A bustling city filled her senses. A young Edelgard (with brown hair?) in a grassy park playground with other kids who looked like her (siblings maybe?) flashed by faster than Byleth could process. It was pleasant enough... until it wasn’t.

Dark rooms took over, and the laughs of little Edelgard gave way to a cacophony of screaming. Heartbeat monitors echoed through the room, beeping rhythmically at first. Byleth’s skin prickled with intruding needles and sharp cuts of scalpels. Then flatlines, one after another after another after another until all she could hear was a chorus of nine in total.

What was happening? Where was she? 

She glanced about frantically. Where was Edelgard?

Her question was answered as the flatlines ceased. And a little girl stepped out from the shadows. A shock of white hair, tangled and disheveled, stood out in the shapeless room. Her violet eyes, dulled and with dark circles underneath, stared up at her, but didn’t  _ see  _ her. Not when a myriad of horrors hid behind them. Her little knees shook beneath her, and soft sobs fell from her chapped lips.

“Edelgard?” Byleth reached out for the girl.

Then the room shifted. Thunder rumbled distantly. Rain pelted against metal. And the cockpit of the Ashen Demon surrounded them.

Edelgard, no longer a little girl, flinched at the screech of the Kaiju outside. When she recovered, she found Byleth hooked up to the Ashen Demon’s control mainframe with her twin beside her. She watched as the twins cried in agony, both of them clutching their right arms like they’d lost it. Red lights flooded the cockpit, and the chilling shrill of tearing metal numbed her ears. Hot electric sparks fell everywhere as Ashen Demon’s head was ripped open. 

Edelgard’s heartbeat jumped at the sight of the Kaiju. She’s never seen one so close before.

Just as the Kaiju reached inside to rip Beleth out and make Byleth helpless all over again, Claude’s voice sliced through the memory.

“Snap out of it, you two!”

“By, I’m alright! What you’re seeing isn’t happening! I need you to breathe,” Bel joined him.

“Yeah, don’t make me hit the kill switch on your asses,” Claude threatened.

Byleth blinked away the residual images before she squeezed her eyes shut. Her breaths came out harsh and heavy, slowly but surely growing steadier. As Edelgard joined her, the pilots clawed their way out of the rabbit hole they had tumbled into together.

“Are you okay?” Byleth asked in a weak voice. It was pointless to ask. She could already think what Edelgard was thinking, feel what she was feeling. But she asked anyway.

Edelgard gave her a curt nod. “I’m fine.” A tentative truth. “Just give me a moment.”

“We can give you half that. Azure Roar isn’t doing so hot out there,” Claude warned.

They swore under their breaths in unison. Thankfully, the reminder refocused them, gave them something to latch on to amidst the pull to fall into the rabbit hole again.

“Left hemisphere calibrating,” Byleth recited and she raised her arms up and flexed her fingers.

“Right hemisphere calibrating,” Edelgard mirrored. In their connection, she saw Byleth and her brother doing the same thing. She took cues from that, following her co-pilot’s lead right down to them slamming a fist into an open palm. 

The green light on their status screen flashed, concluding the synchronization.

“Still looks badass.” Beleth’s smirk was audible.

“Heh. Thanks.”

“Connection’s strong,” Claude reported. “You two are clear for launch.”

“Hope you haven’t skipped leg day, By.”

Byleth scoffed. “In your dreams.” The familiar banter set her at relative ease.

“I see...” Edelgard hummed. “I’ll make a note of that for the future then.”

At that, Byleth raised a brow. “The future?”

“You already know what I mean by that.” She did. “Good. If this goes well, we can discuss it later.”

Taking the first step with Talon Inferno told Byleth many things that she needed to know about the Jaeger. It was heavier than Ashen for one, more sluggish in its steps that gave it a lumbering gait. Where Ashen was like stepping into a pair of well worn boots, Talon felt stiff and hard. She needed to learn how to walk in this, learn how to best fight in it. Ashen’s style of fighting won’t mesh well with Talon’s raw potential for strength.

They cut through the water as quickly as they could and the battle between Azure Roar and the Kaiju drew closer. 

Edelgard patched their comms through to Azure. “Azure Roar, this is Talon Inferno inbound to your location. Hang in there.”

Before they could get a response, the monster swiped its tail to trip Azure flat on its back and was quick to stomp the Jaeger deeper in the water, effectively pinning them down. With Azure a mess of limbs and muffled shouting coming from the comms, Talon Inferno redoubled their efforts in their sprint and reeled back an arm to strike.

By the time the monster finally noticed them it was too late, and Talon’s massive fist smashed against the Kaiju’s bone-shielded face. The air rattled with the cracking of bone and the monster’s startled out cry as it was sent crashing to the sea.

The Talon pilots descended on the Kaiju once more and laid waste to it in a fury of blows. Shards and shards of bone cracked and splintered beneath Talon’s powerful fists. The plates that protected its neck were the first to fall away completely.

The Kaiju writhed and its roars of alarm were drowned out by the rolling ocean waves. Even so, it managed to swipe a paw out to bat away Talon’s attack and counter with one of its own.

“Whoa, whoa, back up!” Byleth cried and the two backed away as quickly as they could.

A sharp claw dragged across Talon’s metal chest with a screech. Fortunately it wasn’t enough to tear through the metal hide.

The Kaiju rose to its full height and swung both its arms down towards Talon’s head. With mirrored gasps, Edelgard and Byleth rose their arms to catch the attack, halting it entirely and trapping the massive paws in a vice grip. Talon’s arms reliably held fast, showcasing its strength as the pilots gritted their teeth with effort.

“Does this thing have any weapon attachments?” Byleth shouted under the strain. She thought of Antler Gale’s flamethrower and how nice it’d be to scorch the Kaiju’s exposed flesh now that it was incapcitated.

Edelgard shook her head. “It’s only a prototype. Any attachments planned for it are still in development.”

_ Shit, well that’s a bummer. _ “The old fashioned way it is then.”

Right as she said that, Edelgard’s mind flashed with an image of a maneuver that would best end the beast in one fell swoop. The neck was already exposed, vulnerable and pliant without its bone plates to protect it.  _ Like this? _ She was getting the hang of this Drift it seemed. Almost too well.

But that was a talk for another time. Right now, the suggestion sent an excited spike through Byleth that she didn’t know she missed feeling. “That could work,” she grinned wickedly.

Together they swung the locked grips to the side, and piled drove their right knee deep into the Kaiju’s gut. The plates of bone there shattered on impact, leaving the monster stupefied long enough for Talon to get behind until they were back to back. The spikes lining the beast’s back thudded and scraped against the Jaeger’s metal hide, but they were too dull to penetrate. 

The pilots reached over their shoulder and grabbed the Kaiju’s hammerhead-like skull like it was handlebars and pulled it overe their shoulder. 

“Hope you’re not gonna miss your head, motherfuck!” Byleth roared.

Talon leaned forward, lifting the Kaiju off its feet and let physics take its course. The Kaiju flailed in desperation, trying and failing to regain its footing or to loosen the Jaegar’s hold. Talon gave one last tug, and its neck bent and snapped with a bone rattling  _ crunch _ . 

And Kaiju went limp.

Byleth didn’t want to stop there though. She wanted to tear the head clean from the monster’s body. The raw strength and power that oozed from Talon Inferno was unlike anything she’s felt before. Even Ashen Demon couldn’t compare. The night she almost died when she tore that Kaiju apart, that was perhaps the closest it’ll ever get to feeling like what Talon can do. Thunder echoed in her ears, spurring her to pull—more bone plates groaned under the pressure—and pull—thick, leathery flesh began to tear, the first knot of its spine popped—and p—

_ Byleth. _

Lightning flashed before her eyes. Her right side burned. She wanted—needed it to stop.

_ Byleth, it’s over.  _ “Stop.”

Edelgard’s voice cut through like a knife, and Byleth relented. The pilots let go of the beast with a collective sigh of relief. Heavy heaves of breath filled the cockpit, drowned only by the crash of waves beneath them as the Kaiju fell lifeless.

“Shit... Edelgard, I’m sorry,” Byleth croaked. “I—”

“I know,” her co-pilot said gently, ignoring the dull throbbing in her right side carried over from Byleth. “I know it feels good. We’ll get out of this thing soon.”

She exhaled, shaky but still noticeably calmer. “Okay.”

They turned and made their way over to the Azure Roar. “Are you guys alright?” Edelgard called into the comms.

“Yes, thanks to you,” Dimitri coughed. Water must’ve gotten inside the cockpit. The state of Azure’s head left little doubt about that. Plates were missing, and thick exposed wires hung limply down the Jaeger’s face. A week’s worth of repairs at most.

In a blink, Azure Roar was replaced with Ashen Demon and the claw-cleaved gash splitting the side of its head. Byleth shook her head. No. No more chasing rabbits.

Rhea patched through the speakers, “Azure Roar, Talon Inferno, return to base for debriefing and repairs. Job well done. And Byleth?”

“Yeah?”

“I would like a word with you, if you please.”

She sighed. “Sure.”

The transmission ended with a click, and the cockpit was silent once more.

“Not bad for being out of the program for five years, yes?” Edelgard said with a light smile as they made the trek back to Garreg Mach.

“Heh, yeah. Guess I still got it.” No doubt it’s why Rhea wants to talk: she expected as much. “Not bad for your first time either.”

_ It’s not _ , a stray thought floated between them. As quick as it came though, Edelgard quickly overshadowed it with a, “Thank you, Byleth. I... I hope I can still trust you to keep what you’ve seen in my mind to yourself.”

Byleth frowned, thinking back to Edelgard as a child and the dark room. She gave the woman a sidelong glance. “Yeah, you can. I promise. But... can we still talk about it?”

_ No. Yes. I can’t. Unless... _ “We can, if...”  _ If you can stay my Drift partner. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Ashtree111)

**Author's Note:**

> It was lowkey cathartic to write Byleth telling off Rhea and Seteth not gonna lie. Let Byleth be angry 2k20 cuz bruh have you guys seen her kit in feh? Fury and Wrath she's a ball of rage in combat and I vibe with that.  
> Find me @ashtree111 on twitter (cuz ashtree11 was taken go figure :/) for more fe3h gushing and whatnot :3


End file.
